“What?” Aspen screeches. “What a jerk. We need to figure out a revenge plan. Ideas?”
“We could replace the sugar at the bakery with salt,” Juniper suggests.
“Don’t even think about it,” Ellery moans. “He supplies the inn with baked goods for breakfast. I don’t want to lose clients because the baker is an asshole who doesn’t know a good thing when it’s standing right in front of him.”
I nearly thank her for sticking up for me, but I have a feeling she’s no longer talking about Rowan and me.
“I can short out his electricity at his home,” Lilac offers.
My mouth gapes open, and I stare at her.
“What? I am an engineer.”
“Yeah. I know. I’m just surprised you’d use your powers for evil instead of good.”
“I think getting revenge on an idiot is considered good.”
I smile at her. “Thanks.”
“You’re my little sister. No one’s allowed to mess with you.”
“But I’m still living in the house with him, remember? Maybe we should put a pin in any revenge plans for now.”
Aspen’s nose wrinkles as she studies me. “Okay.”
I nearly rear back at her response. Did my big sister actually agree with me? I think I need to note this in my diary. Except I don’t keep a diary.
“Can we talk about the mystery now?” Lilac asks as the waitress arrives with our food.
Once the waitress leaves, I survey the restaurant to make certain no one is paying any attention to us. Everyone looks busy with their food, but I lean forward and whisper just in case.
“Aspen and I went to the brewery, and we discovered an old safe there.”
“How old?” Lilac asks.
“Let me finish,” I shush her. “Anyway, in the safe was a sealed letter from Robert to Patricia, as in the black hat bandit to his lover. Apparently, Robert wrote the letter in case he wasn’t around when Patricia arrived in town. In it he says, and I quote here, ‘you’ll find the item referred to in the temporary tablecloth’. The item referred to is obviously the loot from the bank robbery.”
“But what about the temporary tablecloth? What does that mean?” Lilac asks.
Aspen bounces in her seat. “It’s a clue.”
Lilac rolls her eyes. “Yes, I understand it’s a clue. But what does the clue mean?”
Aspen shrugs and now it’s my turn to bounce in my seat because I think I’ve figured the clue out.
“You don’t know?” I ask and bat my lashes in a bid to appear innocent.
Aspen’s eyes widen. “You figured out the clue?” I nod. “Come on. Tell us.”
“What can be used as a temporary tablecloth?”
“A blanket? A sheet?”
“Nope,” I say making sure to pop the P. Thanks to my stupid broken ankle, I’ve had plenty of time to do crossword puzzles. Once I thought of the clue as a crossword clue, I didn’t need much time to figure it out.
“No other guesses?” When everyone merely stares in response, I declare, “It’s a newspaper.”
“What newspaper could it be? The Winter Falls Post didn’t begin printing until 1960, but the robbery occurred in 1955.” Lilac reminds me of the facts I already know.
“I don’t know, but I’m convinced I’m right about the clue. I’ll do some research and figure it out.”
Heaven knows I need something to occupy my mind instead of obsessing about what Rowan meant when he kissed my forehead the other night. He had to kiss me and whisper against my forehead like I was precious. I’m a mistake. Not precious.